Vehicle top



Dec. 26, 1944.

A. KELLER VEHIGLE TOP Original Filed May 19, 1938 2'Sheets-Sheet l l Dec. ze,` 1944- "f A. K'ELLER 2,365,765

VEHICLE TOP Original Filed May 19, 19:58 2 sheets-Sheet `2 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 26, 1944.y

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

. VEHICLE TOP p August Keller, Dearborn, Mich., assignor to Motor State Products Company, Ypsilanti, Mich., a corporation of Michigan lOriginal `application Mayv 19, 1938, Serial No.

208,876. Divided and this application July 12, 1941, Serial No. 402,208

1 Claim. (Cl. 296-116) The present invention relates to a vehicle top of the collapsible or folding type.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a vehicle top of the collapsible or folding type which may be raised or lowered reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation partially in by a continuous motion initiated by movement of section showing the top construction of the presthe header bar and in which a balanced condition ent invention applied to a motor vehicle body of of the parts is maintained during the various the conventional convertible sedan type, the parts stages of raising and lowering the top. of the top being shown in the position which A further object of the present invention is lo they occupy when the top is in the raised posito provide a vehicle top of the collapsible or foldtion. ing type in which the folds in the top covering Fig. 2 is a'fragmentary plan View with parts material occur in substantially the same places broken' away showing the parts corresponding to during successive foldings of the top and in which the positions occupied in Fig. l. the top material is uniformly shaped to a desired 15 Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary elevations parconfiguration when the top structure is in the tially in section of thetop shown in Fig. 1 showraised or extended position. ing the top respectively in a partially and in a Another object of the'present invention is to completely folded position. provide a vehicle top of the collapsible or folding Before Vexplaining in detail the present inventype in which jointed prop members are utition it is to be understood that the invention is lized to secure adequate support for the rear pillars when the top is in the raised position and in which provision is made for automatically moving said props into or out of supporting position relative to the pillars by movement initi- 2 bled and is adapted to be folded compactly into l2 and I3, which are provided cn e, bracket I4 a relatively small space provided in the vehicle which is secured 'to ,a structural part, of the vebody. hicle body. It is to be understood that if desired,

A further object of the present invention is to the bracket |4 may Abe replaced by several sepa provide a Yoholo top of the folomg o1' oouoosible rate brackets to provide the desired pivot points. type in which provision is made for lockingthe 4o The front part of the top is provided with a rear pinar in a predetermined, upright Position header bar l5 which is detachably connected with against forces tending to change its position the Windshield pillar I6 when the top is in the thereby provilcliing ai construction in which the upraised position Shown in Figi 1 per part of t e o y door opening is main ained uniformly in a predetermined position, thus inboh.' legvgroogl gtonos' slfpgog mg posi-tige and easy raising and lowerng'of cross member I9 -hereinafter referred to as an A still further object of the present invention auxlary bpwdliosed between the header 5 is to provide a vehicle top of the collapsible or and E e ngo'm bowh ond o top Supportmg Cross folding type in which provision is made particuinem, or o al?? ,eremaft'er referred to .as an larly to automatically brace the top in its raised auxlhory bow disposed between the mam boW position against the rearward exerted and the rear bow I8. header bar l5, thereon by the top covering material. l@OWS n and ,I3 and auXllaIy bOWS I9 and 20 Other objects of this invention will appear in extend hoflzontlly 0f the Vehicle body and provide the framework which, in the raisedy pothe following description and lappended claims,

not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and 5 of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the pur- .pose of description and not of limitation, and

it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Referring to Figs, 1 to 4, inclusive, a motor vehicle top embodying the present invention comprises a framework which is attached to a motor vehicle Ibody I0 by spaced pivotal connections Il,

sition shown in Fig. 1, supports and gives shape to the top covering 2|.

The rear edge of the top covering .2| is secured to the vehicle body as at 22 and the forward edge of the top covering 2| is secured to the header predetermined manner each time the top is rfolded. `'Ihus the top material 2| is caused to be folded in predetermined places each time that the top is lowered. When the ytopfis in the raised position as shown in Fig. 1, the bows I1 and I8 and the auxiliary bows I9 and 20 stretch the top covering 2I in such a manner as to provide va neat and unwrinkled covering as shown in Fig. l, this covering being free from positive attachment to the top frame members except at the header bar at the front yand on the bodyat the rear. e

Theheaider I5, bows I1 and |8 and auxiliary bows I9 and 2|) are connected by a series of transverse link and lever members 'hereinafter described in detail with reference to but one side of the vehicle top. vit beingunderstood that an identical series of linkandlevei` members is provided on the opposite side of the vehicle top as shown in Fig. 2.

The series of link andlever members' above referred4 to comprises abow connection 23 which is rigidly secured to the header vbar I5 and is pivotally connected with an Outrigger lever 2`4 by means of the pivotal ,break joint 25. A connecting lever 2|; pivotally connected `with the bow connection 23 by the pivotal connection 21. Toggle links 2'8 and 29 are pivotally connected as at 3D and 3| to .the bow connection 23 and the connecting 4lever 26, respectively. vThe 'toggle links 28 and `29 arepivotally 'connected as at '32 with each other and 'rvvith "an 'arm secured 'to the auxiliary bow I9.

VThe 'Outrigger lever I424 'is pivotally connected at 33 'with `a member rcarried 'by the rear pillar s4. The 'rear pillar 34 'is rigidly 'connected with and supports the 'main b'ow IT. The 'pillar 3'4 is'securedtoan arm er bracket "35 which pivotally connects as `at |'3 with "the bracket I4 w'hich'is secured to estructural part 'df'thevehicle body. The arm35 is provided witha curved extending portion '36 which in the embodiment 'shown in the drawings Ais preferablyconnectedfwith a coil spring 31 having its 'opposite end Lsecured to ya bracket 38 1whichissecu're'd to the vehicle ibody.

The'actio'npf the spring 31 is such that `when the top is folded in vthe position-shown in Fig.'4, the sp1-ingis extended, and when the top is in the raised lpositionillustrated Lin. Fig. l, :the spring is contracted. This action lof the spring thus assists in facilitating the raising 'of the top, the weight fof the top when moving. to the folded position 'being such as to extend the spring and build up the springpressure therein which is delivered back -to the link system upon raising of the top.

AAlbalancing lever 39 is .pivotallyconnected as at 40 with an endfof the Outrigger lever 24 and is pivotally connected as at I2 with :the bracket I4. The balancing-lever 39,15 provided with an end portion -4I which is .pivotally connectedas at 42 with the end ofthe leg of -the rear bouw I8.

.A prop joint lever 43 is pivotally connected as at 44 with the end of the connecting lever 26 and is pivotally connected 'a1-,theV point 33 with "I5 the rear pillar 34. The prop joint lever 43 has a pivotal connection 45 with a link 46 which in turn is pivotally connected at the point. II with the bracket I4 secured to a structural part of the vehicle body.

A bracket 41 is secured to the leg of the rear bow lI8 and an extending leg connected with the cross member 2l is pivotally connected as at 48 to the bracket 41.

The operation of a collapsible top embodying the present invention is substantially as follows:

y'When the top is in the raised position as shown in Fig. 1, it is detachably connected by the header bar l'withthewindshield pillar I6. The train of `links and levers is pivotally connected with the cross members to form with the cross members the framework of the top. The construction is `such 4that the train of links and levers is prevented from' moving to permit pivoting of the cross members relative to the body structure except when the vheader bar `I5 .is moved upwardly and rearwardly :from the top of the windshield pillar I6. v

In the tophere shown 'by way of example, the upward and rearward movement of the header bar causes the -bow connections 23 to v.be moved in an upward direction and through the connectedllinks and lever to impart a rearward thrust to the prop'levers 43. This ,causes apivotal movement of the joints 45 and breaks vthe prop levers at said joints so as to permit the rear pillar to pivotl relative to the 'body structure. The breaklng of the prop levers at the joints 45 permits the distance ybetween the .body pivot I'I andthe v pivot, pointf33 on the pillar 34 (Fig. 1) to ybe Shortened.

The shortening of the distance between these pivot points is yaccommodated by arearward pivoting ofthe pillar 34 (Fig. 1'). The position of the respective parts upon the rearward pivoting of the pillars is shown in Fig. 3. It is to be noted that in the construction shown, the points of pivotal connection "between the 'top construction andthe vehicle body are spacedv from each other as distinguished from prior known constructions. 'Frequently the body pivot points 'of the respe'ctive lparts of the top construction are closely adjacent each other. This spacing 4of the body pivot points is `an. important feature of the presentinvention andA contributes to the ease of operation of the vtop embodying Ithe present invention and in a smoothness of operation during the folding and unfolding cycles of operation.

Also 'it is to be noted that 'the prop lever 43 shown in Fig. 1 is so arranged that the body pivot point, the intermediate pivot point, and the pivotal connection with the rear pillar lie in e, substantially straight line when the top is in the raised position. This member 'provides a longitudinal support for the 'rear pillar and holds the rear 'pillar in the upright position whenthe top is in its raised position. This is particul'arly'desirable in 4tops -of the so-called tumble in design in which the rear section is inclined downwardly at an angle to the `rear bow so that the ytension 'of 'the top material exerts `a force on the'top structure vvtending to 'move the vparts to the folded or collapsed position.

The 'rear 4pillar 'is maintained 'in' 'the 'upright position lduring the initial step of the folding operation 'which consists "the rst Vmovement ofthe header bar upwardly and rearwardlyfrom the 'point Vof connectionwith the 'windshield pillar. An the header bar tis moved, the prop 4levers are then brokenand moved fromthelr support- `transmitted to the prop levers and a force is exerted thereon which causes the levers to collapse when the pivot points are thrown out of alignment. The movement of the header bar in the opposite direction brings the pivot points of the prop levers into alignment automatically and thus supports the rear pillars in predetermined location in the raised position.

The provision of a prop leverautomatically moved to supporting and non-supporting positions relative to the rear pillars is a desirable feature which imparts rigidity to the rear portion of the top structure when in the` raised position and assists in securing a positive alignment of all parts of the Itop when moved to the raised position from the folded position.

The spring 31 (Fig. 1) is a desirable arrangement in certain types of top constructions, particularly where the top construction is relatively heavy. The `spring 31 readily ansists in the initial movement of the tcp from its folded position towards itsopen position. Its function is chieiiy that of a counterbalancing member while the top is being moved from its raised to its folded position. l v

The covering material for the framework of the top of the present invention may be any suitable iiexible covering material, such for eX- ample as cloth, leather, imitation leather, rubber, and like or similar materials.

It will be readily observed `from the foregoing that the top construction of the present invention provides a vehicle top of the collapsible type which is readily moved from closed to open position or vice versa and in which the movement in either direction is initiated by movement of the header bar. This construction, while providing a top which folds compactly and occupies but a, limited space when folded, produces a, top construction which is of unusual stability and rigidity when in the raised position.

e While the top construction herein shown by way of example is intended to be manually moved from the raised to the folded position and from the folded to the raised position, it is within the scope of the present invention to provide a power-actuated device for raising and lowering the top, as`for example suction or hydraulically operated cylinders, electrically driven motors, and the like. In such event the power-actuated device could be substituted for the spring 31 in the top construction shown in the drawings, and while the application of power would be at a different position relative to the header bar, the

` co-pending application Serial linkages herein described in the operation of the top would be substantially the same. It is apparent that the cycles of operation .during the opening and folding of the top by such poweractuated members will be substantially the same as that herein described.

The present application is a division of my No. 208,876, filed May 19J 1938, now Patent No. 2,255,289, dated Sept. 9, 1941.

I claim:

A collapsible top having long unobstructed side spans intended primarily for a vehicle of the sedan type having a rear compartment to receive the top when in folded position, said top having a plurality of longitudinally spaced supporting means comprising a header bar, a pillar including a main bow and an arm pivotally mounted on one of said supporting means intermediate its length, a balancing spring interposed between the free end of said arm and a spaced point on said vehicle, an Outrigger lever pivotally mounted intermediate its length on the pillar, a balancing bell-crank lever, one arm of which is pivotally connected to the rear end of the Outrigger lever and pivotally mounted at its fulcrum to a bracket secured to the vehicle body, a rear bow pivotally mounted on the free end of the other arm of said bell-crank balancing lever, whereby the rear bow is rst moved forwardly of the vehicle and then downwardly during `folding of the top to nest in said rear compartment and is first moved upwardly and then rearwardly of the vehicle during the raising of the top, a prop lever pivotally mounted intermediate its length on the pillar, a supporting link pivotally mounted Aat one end to the rear end of the prop lever and pivotally mounted at its other end to one of said spaced supporting means, bow connecting means between the forward end of the Outrigger leveri and the header bar, and link connecting means between the forward end of the prop lever and said bow connecting means. Y

AUGUST KELLER.. 

